Understanding features of intervention trials to prevent obesity in children in the first 2 years. A systematic review including 29 unique early childhood obesity prevention interventions from around the world shows the way forward is through collaboration. Read more.
Mihrshahi S, Jawad D, Richards L, Hunter KE, Ekambareshwar M, Seidler AL, Baur LA. A Review of Registered Randomized Controlled Trials for the Prevention of Obesity in Infancy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(5):2444. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052444.
Listen to a related webinar “Moving the field forward through collaboration”
Are obesity prevention interventions delivered through the web or telephone more cost-effective than other modes of delivery?
Telehealth and electronic health are often appealing due to their apparent lower cost of delivery. This new paper put this assumption to the test by systematically reviewing the economic evaluation of interventions that included a tele- or e-health component. Read more.
Brown, V, Tran, H, Downing, KL, Hesketh, KD, Moodie, M. A systematic review of economic evaluations of web‐based or telephone‐delivered interventions for preventing overweight and obesity and/or improving obesity‐related behaviors. Obesity Reviews. 2021; 1– 12. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13227.
How can early childhood obesity prevention interventions better meet the needs of infants at increased risk of unhealthy weight gain? A new systematic review showed early identification of at-risk infants along with early and sustained intervention are key when targeting the most vulnerable infants. Read more.
Rossiter, C, Cheng, H, Appleton, J, Campbell, KJ, Denney‐Wilson, E. Addressing obesity in the first 1000 days in high-risk infants: Systematic review. Matern Child Nutr. 2021;e13178. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13178.
Cross-cultural adaptation of instruments measuring children’s movement behaviours and parenting practices in Brazilian families In North East Brazil, 1 in 3 children under 5 is affected by overweight or obesity. Family-focused prevention interventions in Brazil are limited by a lack of validated culturally appropriate measurement scales. EPOCH CRE PhD affiliate, Widjane Goncalves, and the Stream 2 team led the cross-cultural adaptation of previously validated movement behaviour measures and parenting practices for economically disadvantaged Brazilian families. Read more.
Goncalves W, Byrne R, Lira P, Viana M, Trost SG. Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Instruments Measuring Children's Movement Behaviors and Parenting Practices in Brazilian Families. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;18(1):239. Published 2020 Dec 31. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010239
Opportunities for innovative nutrition intervention research in early childhood education and care settings A new study highlights opportunities for future childhood obesity prevention intervention to increase reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance in centre-based education and care for children under 5 years. Read more.
Yoong SL, Jones J, Pearson N, Swindle T, Barnes C, Delaney T, Lum M, Golley R, Matwiejczyk L, Kelly B, Kerr E, Love P, Esdaile E, Ward D, Grady A. 2021. An Overview of Research Opportunities to Increase the Impact of Nutrition Intervention Research in Early Childhood and Education Care Settings According to the RE-AIM Framework. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18, 2745.
News and Events
Collaboration for Enhanced Research Impact (CERI) – submission to the draft National Preventive Health Strategy
As part of the broader CERI network, EPOCH CRE is working together with the Australian Prevention Partnership Centre and other centres to enhance the profile and impact of chronic disease prevention in Australia. We were pleased to contribute a response to the draft National Preventive Health Strategy in April 2021, amplifying the voice of prevention researchers and practitioners in Australia.
While we agree with the overarching goals and principles set out in the document, we urged the government to include a detailed implementation plan that focuses on the social determinants of health and systems changes to enable healthy eating, physical activity and reduced sedentary behaviour. This includes a greater focus on health equity, reduction of obesity stigma, addressing the socio-economic determinants for sustainable access to healthy food, greater industry regulations, and the development of a National Physical Activity Plan and National Obesity Strategy.
WHO guideline development on primary healthcare approach to preventing obesity in children and adolescents
Two of our EPOCH investigators, Profs Louise Baur and Elizabeth Denney-Wilson, have been newly appointed to a World Health Organization committee on child and adolescent obesity. They are both members of the Guideline Development Group on Management of infants and children at high risk (excessive adiposity) and children with obesity for improved health, functioning and reduced disability: a primary health care approach.
You are right if you think that is a long name for a committee!
This work has a particular focus on anticipatory guidance to prevent obesity as well as the specific management of obesity in children and adolescents within primary care.
Click here to find out more about the committee’s work.
STAFF
Welcoming Joe Carello
Joe has recently joined EPOCH CRE as a research assistant within the health economic stream. He is working on the life-course modelling and health economic evaluation of adolescent obesity under the supervision of A/Prof Alison Hayes, Dr Tom Lung and Professor Louise Baur. Welcome to EPOCH CRE, Joe! Read more.
EPOCH Early and Mid Career Researchers (EMCRs) Webinars are online
EPOCH CRE EMCRs have been sharing their research on various aspects of early prevention of childhood obesity in a series of webinars. If you missed the webinars, the recordings are available on the EPOCH CRE website. Presentation topics include:
Promoting breastfeeding among culturally diverse families in Australia
Early Prevention of childhood obesity – moving the field forward through collaboration.
The economics of early childhood obesity prevention
Bringing evidence into practice: the experiences of translating two early obesity prevention initiatives – INFANT and Healthy Beginnings.
We will have more webinars in the coming months. Subscribe now to receive EPOCH CRE news and updates.
Funding Sources
The Centre for Research Excellence in the Early Prevention of Obesity in Childhood (EPOCH) is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC ID:APP1001675) from 2016-2020.
Additional funding to support the CRE - EPOCH comes from the following agencies:
Queensland University of Technology
University of South Australia
The University of Sydney
Sydney Local Health District (NSW Health)
NSW Ministry of Health
We would like to thank them for their contributions.
